diff --git a/sympy/polys/rings.py b/sympy/polys/rings.py
index 12bd2fc920..4f81743552 100644
--- a/sympy/polys/rings.py
+++ b/sympy/polys/rings.py
@@ -616,8 +616,9 @@ def set_ring(self, new_ring):
             return new_ring.from_dict(self, self.ring.domain)
 
     def as_expr(self, *symbols):
-        if symbols and len(symbols) != self.ring.ngens:
-            raise ValueError("not enough symbols, expected %s got %s" % (self.ring.ngens, len(symbols)))
+        if symbols:
+            if len(symbols) != self.ring.ngens:
+                raise ValueError("not enough symbols, expected %s got %s" % (self.ring.ngens, len(symbols)))
         else:
             symbols = self.ring.symbols
 
